Wood Powder Coating Comes

into Its Own

Posted: July 8th, 2008 05:27 PM EDT

Wood powder coating could be considered the perfect marriage of art and science. Unlike
other surfaces, wood powder coating on MDF enhances design freedom and flexibility
(think elegant contoured edge profiles, stylish curvilinear shapes, embossed logos or
graphics, among others) while creating a surface that will stand up to time, won’t
delaminate or peel, and is also environmentally friendly.

Thanks to new technology — everything from innovations in powders and MDF to

application systems and proprietary know-how — wood powder coating has overcome
many of its earlier challenges. It is now considered the emerging trend in finishing,
according to the powder-coating industry, and is revered for its durability, unlimited
choice of color and shapes, and upscale look.

Wood powder coating can be an ideal surface for office, medical and educational desks
and workstations, ready-to-assemble furniture, store fixtures, cabinet doors and
garage/closet organizers.

Yet, with such flexibility and benefits — both environmental and economic — some are
still waiting to test the waters, unaware of advances in the past three years that guarantee
a top finish all the time.

Mastering wood powder coating means understanding the exact blend of science and
technology that will consistently produce the highest quality components. However, not
all wood powder coating is the same. Finishers must be willing to commit — and invest
— in quality. Only state-of-the-art technology, powders, premium quality MDF and
manufacturing expertise will produce consistent results, and shortcuts will almost always
result in inferior finish and performance.

Educating the design community about the benefits and flexibility of wood powder
coating — as well as how to determine quality — have become a rallying cry for many in
the business.

“It’s important to understand quality standards for wood powder coating and how to test
for quality,” says Michele Redding, vice president of market development at BTD Wood
Powder Coating. “Just because a powder-coated MDF component looks good to the
naked eye, doesn’t mean the finish is of the highest quality.”

Educating designers, engineers, procurement teams and other professionals about testing
procedures for finish hardness, mil thickness, moisture resistance and other quality
indicators has been helpful in ensuring a high standard for all powder coaters of MDF,
Redding says.

Sharing the advances in technology that have made wood powder coating a viable
alternative to other surfaces is also a key to growing the market, says Chris Leffel, vice
president of sales and marketing for SierraPine, which manufactures PermaCore, one of
the first MDFs created specifically for powder coating.

“Designers have been hearing about wood powder coating on MDF for a decade now, but
they still wonder if it’s for real because they don’t see much of it out there,” Leffel says.
“We really need to make them aware of the technological advances that ensure quality
and the status of the market, which is wide open.”

Applying powder to wood may have seemed a little far-fetched back in the early 1990s,
but then so was the Internet. The technology has advanced by leaps and bounds in just a
decade. The single-step, single-coat process electrostatically adheres a uniform powder
coating to MDF, then immediately cures it. According to Leffel, SierraPine was involved
in some of those pioneering wood powder-coating experiments, and the technology has
greatly improved.

Material compatibility

MDF emerged as the wood of choice for powder coating; its moisture content is an ideal
and consistent conductor of electricity. It has low porosity and a homogeneous surface
that readily accepts the powder.

“We cut the MDF on-site because the timing between cutting and coating is one of many
critical steps to ensure a high-quality, consistent finish,” Redding says. “The moisture
content of the board is critical to the success of the powder coating because moisture
serves as the conductor of electricity.”

After the CNC process, the board is sanded and blasted with air to remove any dust. The
board is then heated and an electrostatic charge is transferred from the spray gun to
powder as it is applied to the MDF surface. The curing process follows, using
temperatures in excess of 200 F to set the powder coating.

“It’s a one-step process,” Redding says.” It creates a surface ranging from 3 to 9 mils
thick — a direct correlation of quality. It’s also important that the surface mil thickness is
±1 mil of the standard specified for a consistent finish and performance.
Wood powder coating is viewed by some to be the next generation of powder coating.
The technology has been refined to produce consistent, high-quality surfaces that are
solvent-free, virtually VOC free and environmentally friendly, with about 98 percent of
the unused powder recovered.

Redding credits BTD’s success to its partnerships with leading powder and MDF
suppliers and its state-of-the-art powder-coating equipment manufactured by ITW Gema.
Using an ISO 9000 compliant process along with experienced skilled craftsmen is also
crucial, she says.

“Wood powder coating used to be temperamental because of the different variations of

MDF, powders, equipment and lack of technical expertise by wood powder coaters,” she
says. “And that’s where the blend of art and science comes in, and having the right
people overseeing — and understanding — the process.”

A variety of applications, effects

Powder-coated MDF components are found in store displays throughout the country, in
ready-to-assemble furniture and tabletops — found in work space applications ranging
from hospitals to restaurants.

“Designers are very impressed by the design freedom of wood powder coating,” says
Redding. “We can customize colors and shapes, do waterfall and bull-nose edges, inside
cutouts, logos, tight inside radii, etching, embossing, three-dimensional contours and
raised surfaces.

“Designers and engineers are really grabbing onto it because they can create a unique
look for a store or a furniture line. Plus, designers love the elegance of this solid surface
finish.”

The rapid growth of wood powder coating can also be attributed to improvements in
finish quality and options. Until recently, it was only possible to apply a micro-texture
finish, but now with the right powder, technology and manufacturing expertise, today’s
finishes can have the quality of a baby grand piano with a smooth high gloss (80 degrees
or higher) black or many other colors.

Finishes that simulate solid surface granite in a smooth or textured appearance are also
available, and wood powder coating can also be applied to create textures such as
hammertones, metallics and weathered veins. Clear coating, gloss, tints and translucents
are also possible.

The powder coatings can provide other long-term benefits. For example, finishers can
add a new DuPont antimicrobial additive that removes 99.9 percent of bacteria from the
surface.

The freedom of shape and durability

Powder coating on MDF is more durable than traditional laminates and wet paint. It
won’t rust and is impact-, chip-, temperature- and stain-resistant. Plus it’s well suited to
hot, wet conditions like locker rooms and saunas because it won’t fade in sunlight or
warp in humidity. Because it’s a uniform, seamless coating, wood powder coating won’t
peel or delaminate from the substrate.

“Hammer tests” (applying hammer to surface) demonstrate the impact resistance of wood
powder-coated finishes that often hold up even better than the MDF. A water immersion
tests proves the moisture resistance superiority of wood powder coating compared to
laminate, melamine and membrane press finishes.

“People are amazed at the durability of wood powder coating, and these displays
demonstrate and educate potential users of these substantial benefits,” says Redding.

Wood powder coating is coming into its own, finding its place in high-traffic areas like
offices and schools, restaurants and retail, and wherever color and shape are desired.

“Wood powder coating really is the finish of this century,” says Redding. “It conveys a
high-end, professional look yet it’s totally utilitarian.”

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